By Dave Campbell — It’s July, so it has to be the Tour de France!!!
[Editor’s note: actually, it’s still June!]
The Tour looks a little different this year! In addition to starting a week earlier than normal, and starting in Florence, Italy for the first time, the race finishes in a different location and with a time trial! Since 1975, the Tour has finished on the Champs Elysees in Paris but due to the Paris Olympics, this year’s race will finish on the Cote d’Azur in Nice, like the Paris-Nice stage race. For the first time since 1989, the race also finishes with a time trial. The 33.7 km test goes over two climbs: La Turbie and the Col d’Eze with a technical descent down to the waterfront. Defending champion Jonas Vingegaard will be back to defend his title after a horrible spring crash, as will Giro champion Tadej Pogačar and Time Trial World Champion Remco Evenepoel!
The Women’s Tour, perhaps with a nod to the most dominant nation in Women’s cycling, begins August 12th in Rotterdam, Holland! After three full days in the Netherlands, Stage four goes from Valkenburg into Liege, Belgium before Stage five leaves Bastogne, Belgium to finally cross into France. The race heads for a dramatic finish August 18th on Stage 8 atop Alpe d’Huez, “cycling’s cathedral” high in the French Alps. All the best women in the World are expected to compete with defending champion Demi Vollering the big favorite!
Q1. Slovenian Tadej Pogačar , fresh off a dominant win in the Giro d’Italia is aiming to win his third Tour de France title this July. Of course, those two previous two wins came in 2020/21 with Dane Jonas Vingegaard winning the two most recent editions. Who was the last multiple Men’s Tour winner to come back from a runner-up position and reclaim their throne?
Q2. This is to be the third edition of the Tour de France Femmes, after eight years of a one-day event called “La Course by Le Tour de France”. Although other French women’s stage races were held (Tour Cycliste Féminin and Grande Boucle Féminine Internationale). Prior to these events was the first true Women’s Tour de France (organized by ASO) and called simply the Women’s Tour de France. Considering only the two TRUE Women’s Tours de France, who was the last American woman to win a stage?
Q3. Who is the last American man to win a stage of the Tour de France?
Q4. In the most recent incarnation of the Women’s Tour, which rider has logged the most days in the yellow jersey?
Q5. Who has logged the most days in the yellow jersey in the Men’s Tour de France without ever winning the race? Hint: Not only has this rider never won the race, but he has never finished on the final podium or won the points, young rider, or mountains competition!!!
For the answers, click below to page 2!
